Tour De Lis.

Tour De Lis,

Left the house about 7:30, rode to the Tour, about 10 miles, still got there early, the air was dead, the sky was violet and low, I had my poncho. The start line on Roosevelt Mall behind Tad Gormley stadium was vacant, about 500 bikes were on racks and ready to go . Many riders opted to run the 3K before the bike run. The food was cooking, the band was setting up and I piddled around till start time, periodically checking the plastic toilets. I came prepared for weather and longevity not speed, the race official reiterated not a race just a Tour to raise money for Cancer research. 8:45 am the streets full of bikes and the whistle goes off. Its a slow start, it's tight ,wobbly and eclectic. I hang in my spot till things spread out and they do, turning us into those caterpillars that march in a circle following each other, on a 3 mile track and 800 riders that's what happens. I ran the circle about 25 miles and stopped for a bathroom and food break. Got me some fried fish, watermelon, orange, listened to the band a few minutes, it's about 10:30. they had Red beans and rice, Jambalaya, pasta salad, melon, apples, oranges, and a few other things I didn't even look at close, they looked so rich. I started riding again and next trip around I noticed they were breaking camp, we had a few sprinkles but no rain, the wind was picking up , my next trip around band was gone, and they were giving away left over watermelons. Ok , so I rode anyway, my goal was 50 miles. I kept having to pass by the new Dog park they just built , it's monumental , must have cost a fortune, seats, bathrooms, gardens , dog showers, pools, grass to crap on , they should build something this nice for humans, try to fine a bathroom in City Park that you can use. You usually wind up in the trees. Back to the Tour. They started picking up the cones and barricades, I decided it's time to make my own Tour, I took the next right and headed to Bayou St. John. Followed the new, winding , touring bike path along Bayou St. John to the Lakefront, nice curvy, level, smooth. Luckily the Lakefront was opened , I hadn't rode it in a while, the winds coming off the lake were tornadic, the lake swells were about 5 feet high lapping the top of the seawall. Sailboats and Kite surfers were only Marine enough to challenge the weather. At Westend I took to the streets, the bike path on the lake is closed for levee work. Beautiful neighborhoods north of West Esplanade to the Lake, worked my way to the Bonabel boat launch decided to take a brake, nutrigrain bar and gatorade. 4 big cigarette boats were ready to launch but cancelled and went home to the lee shore. Got a picture of the new shelter for short people, what'll they think of next. Another big Dog Park there, must be a fad, dog parks, or people parks using dogs to get in . Back to the streets , looked for a place to jump the levee but none exist, couldn't get to the lake again till Williams blvd. Made my way through the construction and the mess and found a Mo-Par car Show , interesting, rode through it , Chargers, Roadrunners, Challengers, Barracudas, Valiants and even a Desoto, plenty cars, any Mo Par fans would have loved it , by now the sun is out, the clouds are gone and I'm at 45 miles, decided not to take the ride of death down Williams blvd, took Vintage to Power, Power to Vets, snuck into Lafaniere Park, by now I'm exploring drawers in my mind that shouldn't be opened by sane only insane. The feeling is powerful, solitary puts a prospective on the life you've already lived and wondering whats next. Headed to the house . Managed to rake in 52 miles. good day , good tour, great adventure, what can be better than a 59 year old having an adventure , the solitude, the freedom, the interactions with the environment and reacting to surroundings, all make for a adventurous day. . Now I get to eat eat eat, .... thanks to those that donated to support me. We'll do it again next year. support the fight against cancer whenever possible.
gary. click on the pic to enlarge.